Productivity / Performance

5 tips to counter the summertime slack-off

06/02/2025

The summer months, when most people take vacations, can be trying times for managers. A number of problems seem to get worse during the summer—absenteeism, tardiness, inattention, horseplay. Smart managers avoid the summertime blues by planning ahead. Offer your organization’s managers these tips to keep employees on schedule, involved and motivated.

9 surefire morale deflators–and how to avoid them

05/09/2025

With everything on your radar during the workday, it’s easy to forget about employee morale. But keeping the team engaged isn’t something that can be ignored or postponed. To keep morale on your radar, be aware of some of the common management mistakes that undermine it. Here are nine main deflators of employee morale, plus tips on avoiding them:

Motivation: 3 questions to get a good worker out of a rut

05/05/2025

When good workers seem to be simply going through the motions, it may be because they’re riding on the career merry-go-round—wanting to try something new, but unable to get away from what they’re already doing. Here are some questions to ask them.

8 steps to becoming the manager your employees need

04/23/2025

In an effort to “empower” their staffs, too many managers take a completely hands-off approach, leaving employees alone unless they really need help. But this can create a rudderless ship, says management expert Bruce Tulgan. That’s not leadership! Here’s how effective managers provide genuine support to their employees.

Demote a staffer? Make it work

04/09/2025

If you decide that demotion is a viable alternative to terminating a particular employee, knowing how to execute the demotion properly is essential to making it work.

Managing people with limited professional experience

03/28/2025

Dealing with employees unfamiliar with workplace norms takes patience. But just as you would help someone lacking technical competencies get up to speed, guiding a worker to a higher level of professionalism proves a worthy endeavor. Here are five strategies to try.

Demotion or termination? How to make the call

03/19/2025

If you’re faced with an employee who isn’t a good fit with his or her current job, is termination the answer or is demotion a better alternative? The answer is, of course, it depends.

Toxic positivity: How HR can foster an authentic culture

02/26/2025

Toxic positivity functions as a destructive force in workplace environments. When employees express legitimate concerns, toxic positivity responds with empty platitudes: “You’ve got this!” “Stay positive!” These responses invalidate employees’ experiences and suggest that their struggles stem from poor attitudes rather than real problems.

Embrace return-to-office as an opportunity to collaborate

02/20/2025

As the pendulum has shifted from a fully remote workforce to a more hybrid or full in-office arrangement, now is the time to evaluate how to create a workplace experience that fosters engagement and productivity.

Writing and giving job reviews: 8 do’s and don’ts

01/23/2025

Anything less than a completely honest performance appraisal will only cheat the employee out of personal development, plus it could set the stage for a discrimination lawsuit. Here are eight important do’s and don’ts.